BlackRock Poll: 1 in 3 Americans Lack Retirement Savings, 71% Back Trump Baby Accounts

Nearly one-third of U.S. registered voters—30%—report having no retirement savings whatsoever, according to a BlackRock survey of 1,000 voters conducted January 11-15, 2025, by Public Opinion Strategies.[1][5] The poll, released February 24, 2025, alongside BlackRock and the Bipartisan Policy Center's National Retirement Summit in Washington, D.C., paints a dire picture: 63% have less than $150,000 saved, far short of the $2.1 million respondents say they need for a comfortable retirement.[2][3] BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink warned that 'fewer than one in three Americans believe they have the tools they need to save for retirement,' underscoring a systemic shortfall.[1] Anxiety runs deep, with 51% fearing they'll run out of money in retirement more than death itself, and 56% fretting over personal finances daily.[1] Just 28% think working Americans have adequate saving resources, while 80% urge Congress and the new administration to prioritize retirement legislation.[1] Access remains a barrier: 42% of full-time private-sector workers aged 18-65 lacked employer-sponsored plans in 2024, per Census Bureau data analyzed by the Economic Innovation Group—a figure swelling to 53.7 million including part-timers.[4] Vanguard's 2025 'How America Saves' report echoes this, pegging average account balances at $148,153 in 2024.[3] Amid the gloom, a rare bipartisan bright spot emerges: 71% of voters back 'Trump Accounts,' tax-advantaged, government-seeded savings vehicles for newborns, as proposed by President Trump.[2] Support spans parties and peaks among younger voters, with Gen Z at 45% lacking savings entirely.[2][5] Voters also favor diversifying retirement plans beyond stocks and bonds into private companies, real estate, infrastructure like data centers, energy, and transportation to boost growth—despite 34% struggling to cover a surprise $500 bill.[2] BlackRock's Nick Nefouse, global head of retirement solutions, highlighted the urgency on Fox Business, noting 40% lack plan access even as pensions fade.[6] The survey signals voter appetite for early intervention, with child savings accounts gaining traction to build lifelong security. As Fink rallies policymakers, the poll warns of an 'impending crisis' unless innovative tools bridge the savings chasm.[1]